1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transport device for an image recording apparatus and, more particularly, to a transport device which uses a linear motor mechanism and a chain in combination for transport.
2. Description of the Background Art
There is known an image recording apparatus in which, while transport rollers, a transport belt and the like are used to transport a recording medium, ink is ejected from a multiplicity of inkjet nozzles provided in inkjet heads disposed in a transport path of the recording medium onto the recording medium, to thereby record an image on the recording medium. Such an image recording apparatus is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 4-219264 (1992), 2005-131929 and 2004-314605.
For a large amount of high-accuracy printing at a high speed based on inkjet technology, it has been found that the transport of a recording medium in a manner as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 4-219264 (1992), 2005-131929 and 2004-314605 is prone to give rise to transport deviation, thereby resulting in insufficient printing accuracy. As an alternative to this, a technique has been under consideration in which a linear motor mechanism is used to transport a table which holds a recording medium thereon in a location where image recording is performed whereas a chain is used to transport the table in other locations. In the use of such a technique, however, there is concern that the elongation of the chain is caused due to deterioration from aging, and the chain elongation negatively affects the accuracy of transport of the table.